Twelfth Peethadhish
P. P. Swami Shri Jaykrishnanath Maharaj
(1790 - 1851)
Born in the Deshpande family in Ashti, near Arvi in Wardha district, Shri Jaykrishnanath Maharaj displayed an extraordinary dedication to his Guru, Shri Dayalnath Maharaj, from a young age. He was willing to sacrifice his life in devotion to his Guru, demonstrating his deep spiritual commitment.
His coronation as Peethadheesh took place in Pavni, near Nagpur, by the banks of the Wainganga River. Like his Guru, his melodious kirtans deeply immersed listeners in divine consciousness. He was regarded as a partial incarnation of Lord Parashurama.
He observed extreme penance, renouncing food and water, and undertook rigorous spiritual austerities dedicated to Lord Dattatreya. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Dattatreya granted him divine blessings and bestowed upon him sacred relics, including the traditional prasadic mala (garland), staff, and a rare one-faced Rudraksha.
During his time, the Nizam and his minister offered him land grants (jagir), which he respectfully declined, reinforcing the significance of the Nath tradition's sacred alms bag (prasadic jholi) as its true wealth.
In 1851, Swami Shri Jaykrishnanath Maharaj took samadhi at Shri Devnath Math.
